Herein is described an automated industrial metallography (AIM) system that provides several advantages over existing equipment and methods. The automation of metallography significantly improves the efficiency and consistency of specimen processing, by eliminating the subjective nature of preparation and image analysis. The system and method described herein enable the automated performance of QA/QC for materials science. Specific advantages of each feature will be described in greater detail below.
The AIM System will enable the rapid evaluation of coatings applied to various components and eliminate the need for human intervention in assigning a pass/fail grade. The disclosed system will give the process engineer precise control over all metallographic preparation parameters including mounting, sectioning, polishing, cleaning, and imaging. It will provide high speed, real time, repeatable and accurate data, improving the confidence in depot repairs, and eliminating the need for manual preparation and analysis. Pass/fail results for coatings can be obtained without human intervention. In one embodiment, the system may be used to evaluate high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spray Tungsten Carbide Cobalt (W—C—Co) coating.